Human Activities

Fishing

Commercial
Recreational
Fishing activity (number of trip and number of anglers per trip) for Commercial Passenger Fishing Vessels (CPFVs) operating out of ports in Santa Barbara and Ventura from 2000 to 2012. Figure credit: Chen et al. 2015b.

Fishing activity (number of trip and number of anglers per trip) for Commercial Passenger Fishing Vessels (CPFVs) operating out of ports in Santa Barbara and Ventura from 2000 to 2012. Figure credit: Chen et al. 2015b.

Click for Details Fishing activity (number of trip and number of anglers per trip) for Commercial Passenger Fishing Vessels (CPFVs) operating out of ports in Santa Barbara and Ventura from 2000 to 2012. Figure credit: Chen et al. 2015b. For more information, consult Figure App.C.4.2a in the CINMS 2016 Condition Report.
A figure of Commercial Passenger Fishing Vessel (CPFV) trips and anglers per trip accross years (2000 to 2012). Figure credit: Chen et al. 2015b.

A figure of Commercial Passenger Fishing Vessel (CPFV) trips and anglers per trip accross years (2000 to 2012). Figure credit: Chen et al. 2015b.

Click for Details Fishing activity landings for Commercial Passenger Fishing Vessels (CPFVs) operating out of ports in Santa Barbara and Ventura from 2000 to 2012. Activity landings in 2011 and 2012 returned to levels seen in the early 2000s. For more information, consult Figure App.C.4.2b in the CINMS 2016 Condition Report.

Oil & Gas

A figure showing trends in offshore oil and gas activity in Southern California from 1975 to 2014. Data source: Annual reports of the California State Department of Conservation’s Division of Oil, Gas, and Geothermal Resources; Figure credit: K. Andrews/NOAA.

A figure showing trends in offshore oil and gas activity in Southern California from 1975 to 2014. Data source: Annual reports of the California State Department of Conservation’s Division of Oil, Gas, and Geothermal Resources; Figure credit: K. Andrews/NOAA.

Click for Details The status and trends of offshore oil and gas activity in southern California was measured using a normalized index of oil and gas production from offshore wells in state and federal waters in California. Activity has been stable over the last five years, but the short-term average was well below the long-term average (dashed green line). A rather steady decrease in oil and gas production has occurred since the mid-1990s. Data source: B. Owens/CDFW; Figure credit: NOAA. For more information, consult Figure App.C.4.17 in the CINMS 2016 Condition Report.
Oil & Gas Maps
Offshore Oil Platforms
A map of offshore oil platforms within the Santa Barbara Channel, from west to east: Hondo, Harmony, Heritage, Holly, C, B, A, Hillhouse, Habitat, Henry, Houchin, Hogan, Rincon Island, Grace, Gilda, Gail, and Gina. Data source: State of California GeoPortal; Map: M. Cajandig/NOAA

A map of offshore oil platforms within the Santa Barbara Channel, from west to east: Hondo, Harmony, Heritage, Holly, C, B, A, Hillhouse, Habitat, Henry, Houchin, Hogan, Rincon Island, Grace, Gilda, Gail, and Gina. Data source: State of California GeoPortal; Map: M. Cajandig/NOAA

2015 Refugio Oil Spill
A map showing the area around the Santa Barbara Coast affected by the 2015 Refugio Oil Spill. Data source: Shoreline Cleanup and Assessment Technique (SCAT) Shoreline Oiling. Map. Map: M. Cajandig/NOAA

A map showing the area around the Santa Barbara Coast affected by the 2015 Refugio Oil Spill. Data source: Shoreline Cleanup and Assessment Technique (SCAT) Shoreline Oiling. Map. Map: M. Cajandig/NOAA

Click for Details Diagonal black lines cover the area where oil sheen was observed after the 2015 Refugio Oil Spill. The dark black line indicates the short-term fishery closures. See Figures C2.4 and C13.5 for the modeled oil transport, which predicts crude oil reaching sanctuary waters, Santa Rosa, and Santa Cruz islands north-facing beaches days after the spill. For more information, consult Figure App.C.2.3 in the CINMS 2016 Condition Report.
A map showing projected oil movement following the Refugio Oil Spill in May 2015. Figure credit: B. Emery and L. Washburn/UCSB.

A map showing projected oil movement following the Refugio Oil Spill in May 2015. Figure credit: B. Emery and L. Washburn/UCSB.

Click for Details Modeled oil trajectories based on high frequency (HF) radar and averaged sea surface current vectors during the month of May 2015 (green and blue lines). Yellow triangles represent SCCOOS HF Radar stations, and oil platforms are shown as small gray dots. The HF station at Gaviota was installed immediately after the spill to avoid local data gaps during this critical monitoring time period. It was only active for one and a half months. PTC = Point Conception; RFG = Refugio State Beach; COP = Coal Oil Point; SSD = Summerland Sanitary District; MGS = Mandalay Generating Station; SCI = Santa Cruz Island. Pink lines indicate commercial shipping lanes. The black line encircles the region of interest. For more information, consult Figure App.C.2.4 in the CINMS 2016 Condition Report.
An image of modeled sea surface current directions used to predict oil movement from May 20 to May 25, immediately following the Refugio Oil Spill (2015). Source: SCCOOS; Figure credit: B. Emery and L. Washburn/UCSB.

An image of modeled sea surface current directions used to predict oil movement from May 20 to May 25, immediately following the Refugio Oil Spill (2015). Source: SCCOOS; Figure credit: B. Emery and L. Washburn/UCSB.

Click for Details Daily snapshots of oil transport simulations (blue dots) based on near-real time sea surface current direction and speeds (black arrows) from May 20 to 25, 2015, the days just after the Refugio oil spill. Yellow triangles represent SCCOOS high frequency radar (HFR) observation stations. PTC = Point Conception; RFG = Refugio State Beach; COP = Coal Oil Point. Not pictured is a HFR station at Gaviota, which was temporarily installed for one and half months following the spill (currently no longer active, see http://washburnlab.msi.ucsb.edu/mtu1) to address local data gaps. Not labeled is the yellow triangle/HFR station on Santa Cruz Island. Pink lines indicated commercial shipping lanes. The full oil transport model simulation can be viewed online. For more information, consult Figure App.C.2.5 in the CINMS 2016 Condition Report.

Vessel Traffic

Map: Vessel Traffic Patterns
A map showing traffic patterns of large commercial shipping vessels through the Sanctuary (2008, 2010, 2014). Data source: USCG AIS data, processed by NMFS; Figure credit: MSWGSS 2016.

A map showing traffic patterns of large commercial shipping vessels through the Sanctuary (2008, 2010, 2014). Data source: USCG AIS data, processed by NMFS; Figure credit: MSWGSS 2016.

Click for Details Traffic patterns of large commercial vessels (cargo and tanker vessels) in the Santa Barbara Channel region for 2008, 2010, and 2014. The number of commercial ship transits is shown, using Automatic Identification System (AIS) data transmitted from ships. Vessels transiting to and from the Ports of Los Angeles/Long Beach that pass by the northern Channel Islands use either the Santa Barbara Channel Traffic Separation Scheme around the north side of the islands, or take routes south of the islands. For more information, consult Figure App.C.4.12 in the CINMS 2016 Condition Report.
Map: Vessel Groundings
A map showing vessel grounding locations from 1999 to 2016.Data source: Vessel Assist; Map credit: M. Cajandig/NOAA.

A map showing vessel grounding locations from 1999 to 2016.Data source: Vessel Assist; Map credit: M. Cajandig/NOAA.

Click for Details Reported vessel grounding locations from 1999 to 2016 are shown in the map above. Not all groundings in the CINMS database are included as coordinates are unavailable for some grounding events. For more information, consult Figure App.C.3.1 in the CINMS 2016 Condition Report.

Research

Human Impacts

Contaminants

Contaminants in Mussels

Marine Debris

Map: debris in CalCOFI trawls (historical)
A figure showing the percentage of sampling stations with plastic debris across three sampling years. Figure credit: Gilfillan et al. 2009.

A figure showing the percentage of sampling stations with plastic debris across three sampling years. Figure credit: Gilfillan et al. 2009.

Click for Details Variation over time in percentage of stations from winter CalCOFI cruises with plastic micro-debris. Micro-debris was present in more than 50 percent of samples at each time period. For more information, consult Figure App.C.4.15 in the CINMS 2016 Condition Report.

Noise

Listening Stations
A map showing the location of historic (green dots) and current (yellow dots) passive acoustic monitoring stations around the Sanctuary and Santa Barbara Channel. Map credit: M. Cajandig/NOAA.

A map showing the location of historic (green dots) and current (yellow dots) passive acoustic monitoring stations around the Sanctuary and Santa Barbara Channel. Map credit: M. Cajandig/NOAA.

Click for Details Previous (green dots) and current (yellow dots) passive acoustic monitoring stations in and around CINMS are shown along with several sources of anthropogenic noise: ports and harbors, oil platforms, shipping lanes, and military testing zones. SIO = Scripps Institution of Oceanography; NOAA NRS = Noise Reference Station. For more information, consult Figure App.C.2.8 in the CINMS 2016 Condition Report.

Seabird disturbance

Comparison: By Region
A figure showing rates of human-caused distubance to seabird breeding and nesting sites across three regions: the south coast (SCSR), central coast (CCSR), and north central coast (NCCSR). Figure credit: Robinette et al. 2015.

A figure showing rates of human-caused distubance to seabird breeding and nesting sites across three regions: the south coast (SCSR), central coast (CCSR), and north central coast (NCCSR). Figure credit: Robinette et al. 2015.

Click for Details Rates of human-caused disturbance to seabird breeding and roosting sites were low on Santa Cruz Island (SC) compared to other sites across the south coast (SCSR), central coast (CCSR), and north central coast (NCCSR) study regions. Activities noted as causing disturbance at SC in 2012 to 2013 were human power boats, recreational fishing boats, recreational power boats, commercial fishing boats, airplanes, and helicopters. SD = San Diego, PV = Palos Verdes Peninsula, SB = Shell Beach, MD = Montana de Oro, EB = Estero Bluffs, MO = Montara, PR = Point Reyes, BO = Bodega. For more information, consult Figure App.C.4.9 in the CINMS 2016 Condition Report.

Trend: oiled beachcast seabirds

Monthly average seabird deposition (seabirds/km) and percent oiled observed on mainland beach segments in the Southern California Bight by coastal ocean mammal and bird education and research surveys (BeachCOMBERS) program volunteers.

Monthly average seabird deposition (seabirds/km) and percent oiled observed on mainland beach segments in the Southern California Bight by coastal ocean mammal and bird education and research surveys (BeachCOMBERS) program volunteers.

Click for Details Significant oiling events were identified when the percent oiled birds exceeded 9% percent mortality. For more information, consult BeachCombers_seabird_deposition_oiling in the CINMS 2016 Condition Report.

Whale entanglement

Map: Whale Overlap with Fishing
Blue
A map showing the risk posed to blue whales from 11 fixed gear fisheries (a type of commercial fishing) in the Southern California Bight. Figure credit: Saez et al. 2013.

A map showing the risk posed to blue whales from 11 fixed gear fisheries (a type of commercial fishing) in the Southern California Bight. Figure credit: Saez et al. 2013.

Click for Details Co-occurrence score (risk) based on multi-year average whale density and fishing effort for 11 fisheries is shown for quarters three (Q3) and four (Q4) for blue whales (Balaenoptera musculus). In Santa Barbara from July to December, there is an elevated risk area for multiple whale species with the California halibut/white seabass set gillnet, hagfish trap, rock crab trap, sablefish, spiny lobster trap, and spot prawn trap fisheries. For more information, consult Figure App.C.4.11a in the CINMS 2016 Condition Report.
Fin
A map showing the risk posed to fin whales from 11 fixed gear fisheries (a type of commercial fishing) in the Southern California Bight. Figure credit: Saez et al. 2013.

A map showing the risk posed to fin whales from 11 fixed gear fisheries (a type of commercial fishing) in the Southern California Bight. Figure credit: Saez et al. 2013.

Click for Details Co-occurrence score (risk) based on multi-year average whale density and fishing effort for 11 fisheries is shown for quarters three (Q3) and four (Q4) fin whales (Balaenoptera physalus). In Santa Barbara from July to December, there is an elevated risk area for multiple whale species with the California halibut/white seabass set gillnet, hagfish trap, rock crab trap, sablefish, spiny lobster trap, and spot prawn trap fisheries. For more information, consult Figure App.C.4.11b in the CINMS 2016 Condition Report.
Humpback
A map showing the risk posed to humpback whales from 11 fixed gear fisheries (a type of commercial fishing) in the Southern California Bight. Figure credit: Saez et al. 2013.

A map showing the risk posed to humpback whales from 11 fixed gear fisheries (a type of commercial fishing) in the Southern California Bight. Figure credit: Saez et al. 2013.

Click for Details Co-occurrence score (risk) based on multi-year average whale density and fishing effort for 11 fisheries is shown for quarters three (Q3) and four (Q4) and humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae). In Santa Barbara from July to December, there is an elevated risk area for multiple whale species with the California halibut/white seabass set gillnet, hagfish trap, rock crab trap, sablefish, spiny lobster trap, and spot prawn trap fisheries. For more information, consult Figure App.C.4.11c in the CINMS 2016 Condition Report.